Winter Gear

A New Hat Now Means Faster Racing Later, or Why You Should Run Long This Winter

How do you run for more than two hours when it is 10 degrees or colder? Most people know to layer their clothing and run into the wind first. But on a really cold day you should know another rule: Bring more hats.

With a supply of fresh hats tucked in my jacket I have run 23 miles in five degrees, with windchill below zero. A layer of icicles had built up inside my jacket by the time I finished, but rotating hats kept me perfectly comfortable.

Dressing for the cold is a fine balanceyou dont want to be too cold, but if you overdress and sweat too much you will be even colder by the end of the run. You should be warm enough to sweat a little; if you are so cool that you are not sweating you may be underdressed for the weather.

The most important body parts to protect are your head and your hands. Of these, the most important is your head. Scientists estimate that 50 and 80 percent of body heat is lost through the head. Wet clothing and wet hair both dissipate heat much more rapidly than dry clothing and dry hair. Damp, sweaty hats also begin to freeze, further reducing the insulation they provide.

Below 10 degrees, I change my hat at least every 45 minutes, between 10 and 20 degrees every 6070 minutes, and above 20 degrees I can get through two hours without a change of hat.

A dry hat will not melt the ice on the sidewalk or make the days longer, but it will let you run long all winter.

Evan Roberts lives and runs in Minneapolis, MN, where he always runs outside. When he is not running, he is working on a Ph.D. in American history.